Phase transition theory for abnormal ocular dominance column formation.

A thermodynamic theory has previously been introduced for explaining the formation of ocular dominance columns in the visual cortex. This paper extends the theory to account for the variation in patterns of ocular dominance columns as a phase transition phenomenon. For this purpose, an "Order parameter" is calculated by Monte Carlo simulation. On a phase diagram representing a two-dimensional parameter space, the conditions in which abnormal ocular dominance columns arise are visualized, and several visual deprivation experiments are successfully explained.